Problems · by component
2001 Ford Windstar exterior lighting problems
32 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2001 Ford Windstar cite exterior lighting, 2% of all 1,717 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
32
2% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
0
Reported by owners
What owners say about the exterior lighting
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR BRAKE LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WHENEVER THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ENGAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT FUSE AND BOTH BULBS HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN REPAIRED THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.”
“FOR MONTHS, THE ABS LIGHT AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS COME ON INTERMITTENTLY. CURRENTLY THE LIGHTS ARE STAYING ON AND IT MUST BE JUMPED TO START. THE BATTERY WAS CHECKED AND WAS OKAY. SOMETHING IS DRAINING THE BATTERY. *TR”
“ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS HAVE BEEN OFF AND ON FOR YEARS. HAVE HAD THE BRAKES LOOKED AT MANY TIMES AND THEY ARE ALWAYS SAID TO BE FINE. TODAY, WHILE DRIVING ALONG, THE RADIO WENT OFF WHEN I ROLLED UP THE WINDOW...THOUGHT THAT WAS STRANGE SO OPENED WINDOW....RADIO BACK ON, CLOSED WINDOW....RADIO OFF. THANKFULLY I WAS VERY CLOSE TO HOME AS THE WINDOWS STOPPED OPENING AND CLOSING, RADIO SHUT OFF, ODOMETER READING DISAPPEARED, CLOCK LIGHTS DISAPPEARED. I MADE IT TO THE DRIVEWAY, TURNED IT OFF AND IT DID NOT TURN BACK ON. CAME INSIDE AND STARTED TO SEARCH "2001 FORD WINDSTAR ABS AND BRAKE LIGHTS ON"......I'M APPALLED AT HOW MANY COMPLAINTS I HAVE FOUND. HUSBAND AND FRIEND DID A CHECK AND IT MAY BE THE ALTERNATOR....BUT AFTER WHAT I'VE READ WE WILL DEFINITELY BE CHECKING FOR FLUID IN THE ABS CONTROL MODULE. IF IT TURNS OUT IT IS THE ABS CONTROL MODULE (AFTER READING THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS) I WILL BE CALLING FORD TO LET THEM KNOW WHAT I THINK. FOR MANY, MANY YEARS WE LET FORD SERVICE OUR VAN AND I SWEAR AFTER EACH SERVICE WE ENDED UP WITH ANOTHER PROBLEM WITHIN WEEKS OF THE SERVICE. I'VE NOT HAD TRUST IN OUR LOCAL FORD DEALERSHIP FOR A LONG TIME. BASED ON WHAT I'VE READ…”
“MY BRAKES AND ABS LIGHT STAYS ON EVEN AFTER REPAIRING BRAKES MY ABS SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING, ONE DAY WHILE RAINING I TRY TO STOP MY VEHICLE AND IT KEPT ON GOING. *TR”
“MY DRIVERS SIDE BACK DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE OR OUTSIDE AND MY PASSENGER SIDE BACK DOOR WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE INSIDE. MY (ABS) LIGHT WILL NOT GO OFF. THERE IS A CRACKING NOISE UNDER WHERE MY FRONT TIRES ARE ON BOTH SIDES. *TR”
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR CENTER BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD ILLUMINATE FOR HOURS AT A TIME AND WOULD NOT SHUT OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE FAILURE MAY BE DUE TO A SENSOR, BUT HE WAS NOT SURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 125,000.”
Showing 6 of 32 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 9, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.